| Did you know Scots have been involved in | | | | across the country buying fur in exchange for other |
| developing Canada before most of the world even | | | | supplies needed in the regions - it later expanded into |
| knew it existed? | | | | other retail sectors (including department stores etc) |
| Nearly a thousand years ago (1010 AD) Thorfinn | | | | when the fur trade started to go into decline. |
| Karlsevni was exploring the east coast of Canada | | | | Scottish Highlanders however should be credited with |
| with two Scots amongst his crew. Unfortunately their | | | | the rapid development of the company. In 1799 it |
| names were not recorded for historians to discover | | | | was recorded that four of five Hudson Bay |
| only the fact they came from Scotland. Some five | | | | Company employees being Scots bringing with them |
| hundred years later Jean Rotz (the son of Scotsman | | | | their culture of being prepared for hardship and hard |
| David Ross) was involved in mapping the giant St | | | | work. In addition due to their total lack of class |
| Lawrence River. | | | | consciousness they were able to mix freely with the |
| New Scotia is simply a Gaelic form of New Scotland | | | | Native Americans/First Nations and built close |
| named after the huge number of Scottish Highlanders | | | | relationships for trade. |
| who settled there and still boasts the largest Gaelic | | | | There is a story told that when the Canadian |
| college outside of Scotland and the only one in | | | | Governor-General (also a Scot) was visiting a outpost |
| Canada. | | | | in the wilderness he asked to be introduced to a |
| One of Canada's most famous regiments was "The | | | | group of rather menacing looking natives. The local |
| Kings First American Regiment" founded in 1776 | | | | postmaster (who also happened to another Scot) |
| fought in their traditional kilts to the sound of | | | | simply called out to the group "Will ye come here for |
| Scottish Bagpipes. It was this regiment that beat | | | | a minute, MacDonald?" |
| George Washington at the battle of Brandywine with | | | | Canada becomes a nation. |
| most of the regiment setting in New Brunswick. (In | | | | Later as the Canadian colony moved towards |
| 1843 there were over 30,000 recorded Scots living in | | | | becoming a nation in its own right the first two |
| New Brunswick.) | | | | people to be elected as Prime Ministers were both |
| Although most people now think of Quebec as being | | | | born in Scotland. |
| French Canadian at one time there were so many | | | | The story of the links between Scots and the |
| Scots involved in the ruling government party it was | | | | development of Canada is of course ongoing but for |
| known as "The Scotch Party". But there had also | | | | starters consider the following points. |
| been a long and a strong connection between France | | | | The Canadian Pacific Railway was designed, financed |
| and Scotland going back hundreds of years when the | | | | and built mainly by Scots. |
| two countries (known as the "Auld Alliance") were | | | | Five of the first six colleges in Canada were founded |
| forging treaties to fight a common enemy called | | | | by Scots including McGill University by James McGill a |
| England. | | | | merchant and politician who had emigrated to Canada |
| However we must also note that General James | | | | from Glasgow in Scotland. Queens the Presbyterian |
| Murray the first British Governor of Quebec was a | | | | University in Kingston founded largely through the |
| Scot and received the keys the city gates from the | | | | dreams and work of Scots Scholar George Munroe |
| surrendering Commander Major de Ramezay (also of | | | | Grant. |
| Scots Descent). The main regiment fighting to | | | | On the entertainment front the Canadian National Film |
| capture the city were the Scottish Frazer Highlanders | | | | Board was first established by a group of Scots and |
| so it was not always smooth sailing between the | | | | the internationally famous Canada Dry Ginger Ale was |
| two nations. | | | | first concocted by a Scottish Chemist in the 1800s. |
| Hudson Bay Company | | | | However this is hardly surprising according to |
| The Hudson Bay Company grew into the largest | | | | Professor T W Acheson in the years between 1880 |
| corporate landowner in the history of the world | | | | and 1885 20% of the industrial elite in Canada were |
| controlling over 3 million square miles of what is now | | | | born in Scotland with a further 28% having Scottish |
| called Canada and the bordering areas of the USA. | | | | fathers. So almost half (48%) of the top industrialist |
| HBC originally started as a fur trading company with | | | | in Canada at that time were Scots. |
| 110 forts acting as trading posts being set up right | | | | |
